Hall’s earliest dated work after his arrival in Paris is in the museum’s collections. The male portrait, signed ”hall 1767” is very sketchily painted. The face is still characterised by careful stippling, but there is a virtuosity to the fabric of the clothes. This would become something of a signum for Hall. He worked with relatively thick layers of watercolour in relief, impasto, giving the illusion of highlights on various materials, particularly textiles. Folds were marked by broad brushstrokes and lines. This technique was hardly intended to be examined in detail, but to create an effect at a distance.